


and now, a walking trope

by OrphanText



Category: Magic Kaito
Genre: Alternate Universe, Childhood Friends, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-22 09:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11377581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrphanText/pseuds/OrphanText
Summary: "And whose fault is it, anyway?" Saguru argues.





	and now, a walking trope

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cloudy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloudy/gifts), [hopiecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopiecat/gifts).



> My childhood friends to lovers AU for them  
> Toichi is also alive in this one.  
> And Saguru is often roped into dinner performances while his parents have dessert like an asshole  
> Kudos to me for inserting the title of the tv show i've been watching lately maybe Saguru's into that stuff who knows  
> More on this in the far future if you remind me
> 
> has my titling work reached shitpost level yet

He eventually finds Kaito ensconced deep in the bowels of an arcade, surrounded by bright, flashing machines and cacophonic music. The stench of cigarette smoke is thick in the air, and Saguru finds himself coughing as he squeezes past a group of highschool girls towards him. Oblivious to his approach, Kaito feeds a couple of coins into the claw machine, and rubs his hands together gleefully as the machine chimes for the start of the game.

“What on earth are you doing?” The plastic sides of the machine is grimy to the touch, and Saguru does his best to stay clear of near everything in the area. Near the entrance, a few middle-aged men are loitering around an ancient pinball machine, empty cans of beer lying at their feet. “You said there was something you wanted to tell me. It’s rude to not answer your phone.”

Kaito doesn’t reply immediately, tongue caught delicately between his teeth as he considers the position of the claw hovering over the pile of soft toys. “Give me your hand.”

“What? And whyever should I do that?”

“Because you are a good boy.” Reaching down, Kaito grabs a hold of his wrist and pulls him over so that he is standing in front of the machine. “Push the button.”

“This is ridiculous.” The way the claw is positioned, it will never catch a hold of anything. Nevertheless, he jabs at the button. With a whirr, the claw descends -- missing it’s mark, as Saguru had predicted -- right until it goes over the edge and tips over a couple of misshapen toys down the prize chute. “Happy now?”

“I’ll consider these as your gift to me.” By his side, Kaito’s eyes are bright and laughing, his childhood friend bending down to retrieve his prize by the handful. “Look how cute this is. You shouldn’t have, Saguru.”

“I didn’t do a thing.” If it were up to him, he would have never caught anything. Saguru knows this because he speaks from an experience that he has paid about a thousand yen for. “You are ridiculous.”

“On the same note,” Kaito carries on relentlessly, stuffing his pockets with the smaller toys until his trousers are bulging unsightly. “Go on a date with me.”

Saguru stares at him.

The first instinctive response on his tongue is, of course, to say no. When Kaito had called him on his mobile phone, he had been in the middle of cello practice. His schedule for the day - albeit being a holiday - is packed full to the brim with activity. He has afternoon tea with baaya and Watson, a book that he plans to read five chapters by today. He had hoped that there would be time leftover for him to catch one episode of _Goblin_. He had been looking forwards to his long bath in the evening.

Kaito’s smile falters a little, grip tightening on the toy he is currently strangling.

“Okay,” Saguru says, and watches all of his plans for the day wash merrily down the drain. “I’m not really dressed for a date today.”

“I’ve seen you at your worst.” Kaito waves a hand dismissively, himself in a cashmere sweater Saguru vaguely remembers as a christmas gift from Kaito’s own mother. “It’s fine even if you look like a hikikomori. I know what I’m dating, after all."

“A - “ The remark has him flushing immediately, Kaito making a disappointed noise when he removes his spectacles and pockets them. Without his spectacles, Kaito looks a little out of focus to him. “You’re being very rude today.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to imply that you’re unattractive. Only that you shut yourself into your study for far too long for my liking with your dead bodies.” A light brushing against his wrist, then Kaito pushes close, hooking their arms together and tugging him towards the exit. They turn a few heads within the group of highschool girls, but soon enough they’re back out beneath the cleansing sunlight. Saguru has never been quite so glad to feel the wind in his hair, discounting the time when he’d been stuck with a corpse in a remarkably small room. “I have a few places in mind that I think you should take me to.”

“And I suppose you would like for me to pay for it too.” It’s good that he had the foresight to bring his credit card along. There isn’t a lot of money on it, but he rarely touches the sum. 

“No, no.” Kaito points at him. “The romantic one takes me places.” The finger moves back to Kaito. “The responsible one pays.”

“I do suppose what you mean is that you’ve just received your first official paycheck.”

“So I did.” Kaito consults the watch on Saguru’s wrist. “Won't you indulge me in this?”

“How you choose to spend your money is your decision entirely.” Saguru says, and squeezes Kaito’s hand gently when he slips it into his. In answer, Kaito’s dawning smile is warm and gentle like the sun.


End file.
